One Night
by Cailin Skylark
Summary: Balthier x Penelo She wasn't sure when it all began between them. Was it just because of the blizzard that they ended up alone together? Or was it something more that began before that one night.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XII and Balthier and Penelo belong to SquareEnix. I only write about them when my muse dictates to do so.

One Night

It was strange how it happened. How any of it even began. She was only a young seventeen year old orphan girl and he was the self-proclaimed leading man with an already beautiful leading lady as his partner. But somehow, in a weird twist of fate it did. She tried to examine every little moment, and ease her self-doubts and insecurities. Was it because of the heavy blizzard? Maybe it was because Vaan accepted to hunt that particular mark? Perhaps, he had been too wrapped up in the moment they were sharing? No, she felt it began long before any of those things occurred, at least on her side. Perchance, Fate had decided that the moment he handed her his handkerchief that they would wind up alone together in that cave.

She admitted to herself that ever since he entrusted her with his handkerchief, a little spark of attraction was ignited towards him. Even though she barely just met him, she clutched the small piece of cloth tightly in her hands, feeling safer throughout the time she was kidnapped. When she heard he was on his way to save her, she blushed shyly in surprise and confusion. Of course she realized he came probably because of Vaan, but a little part of her hoped that not all of it was.

Penelo chanced a glance at the sky pirate up ahead of her. As usual, he was walking next to Fran, talking amiably about something she couldn't overhear. She continued to watch him and the tall viera walking comfortably side by side, causing her doubts to come rushing back through her mind. Nodding absentmindedly to something Vaan was telling her, her thoughts shifted back to the beginning.

_Three days ago…_

"You agreed to another mark, Vaan? Don't we have better things to do than to be hunters for hire?" Ashe asked with a slight tinge of irritation evident in her voice.

"Well, how else are we to make money?" Vaan turned and asked the princess. Ashe crossed her arms over her chest, unable to answer.

"Anyhow, we have to wait it out a bit here at the Temple for a blizzard. According to Relj, the mark only appears when it snows heavily in the Silverflow's End," replied Vaan as he pulled out an apple from his pouch and examined the skin. "Besides, I know we can handle this hunt easily," Vaan paused as he took a bite of his apple. "I mean, it's just a wyrm."

"A wyrm! Are you aware of how notoriously dangerous those beasts are? Not only are they physically powerful, but are able to cast an array of spells," Ashe shot back.

Balthier stood up from the wall that he was casually leaning against and gently placed a hand on the irate princess's shoulder. "Well then, we better go to battle well prepared and rested, and get this mark out of the way. The sooner we do, the sooner you'll be back on the throne, princess." Ashe sighed but nodded contentedly in response and started towards the Temple, with Basch following close behind.

"Vaan, you know that the Lady Ashe is in a hurry to find the Sun-Cryst in Ridorana. You just want another excuse to play around with your new toy," Penelo playfully nudged Vaan.

"Well, we do need the money. And I know that with this," Vaan pulled out his Zodiac Spear from his holster on his back and twirled it around, "the hunt will be easy."

"Careful with that. We wouldn't want to accidentally hurt anyone around the Temple," Fran said as she breezed by the two and up the steps.

"And if that's not enough, I'll be there to save you. After all, the leading man must always save the beautiful damsel in distress," Balthier winked at Penelo before he followed after his partner.

Penelo couldn't help but blush as her gaze followed the sky pirate's form up the stairwell.

"Um, Penelo, I hope you're not really falling for Balthier's lines. I mean, you do realize that he is just teasing you, right?"

"No, of course I'm not!" Penelo replied hastily, snapping her eyes back to meet Vaan's.

"Good, because you know, he's one of those types of guys with a silver tongue. He can make any woman feel special. Look at how he easily appeases Ashe and gets along with Fran," Vaan chuckled lightly. "Balthier sure is talented with the ladies. But just don't fall for it too, Penelo. I don't want you to get your hopes up and get hurt by him. Okay?"

"Yeah…okay, I know." Vaan patted her on the shoulder and nodded towards the temple. "Uh, I'll be there in a bit. I need to go back and stock up on some remedies."

"Okay then. Don't take too long," Vaan replied before he raced up the steps to catch up with the rest of the party.

'Yes, Balthier is just teasing me," she thought to herself. She turned and began heading down the stairs. 'Why would a leading man ever want an errand girl?'

Penelo finally arrived at the Temple when it was dark. She passed by the others as they were eating their dinner, but declined joining them saying she had a bit of a headache and wanted to rest. However, the truth was she didn't want to be around him.

Usually dinnertime was her favorite time of the day. Not because they all actually had a chance to rest and eat, but because she loved listening to his deep smooth voice as he recounted one of his many various sky pirating adventures, which he often did during the meal. Many times she would find herself and everyone laughing, except for Fran since she was the one that had experienced it with him. 'To hear the story is one thing, but to actually have to go through it was another' Fran had said.

Though these times they spent together were her favorite, she just couldn't tonight. Lately, she had been feeling herself blushing and needing to steal glances at the sky pirate more and more. But she knew that her silly crush must stop. She knew Vaan was right; Balthier was a flirt with all the ladies.

Penelo sighed and began to untie the bows at the end of her pigtails. Sifting through her pack, she found her brush and sat back down on the bed facing the window. Ashe had asked her before why she keeps her hair up in pigtails all the time. She answered saying that it was the easiest way to keep it out of her face when she was running errands in Rabanastre. Actually, it was how her mother did her hair before she died. She knew it made her look a bit childish compared to other girls her age, but it was a way of keeping a little momento of her mother with her daily and remember how life was before the war. Closing her eyes, she quietly started to hum a melody to fill the silence of the room as she began to brush through her golden strands.

"Hope I'm not disturbing you." A deep masculine voice quietly said. Penelo didn't need to open her eyes to see who it was, his voice was enough, but she was still surprised.

"No, not at all Balthier," she stood up from the bed to see him leaning against the doorframe of the room.

"I brought you some dinner," Balthier revealed a plate filled various fruits, cheese and bread. "You should eat something. I'm sure it will help to alleviate your headache."

"Oh thank you, but you really shouldn't have," Penelo reached out and grabbed the plate from him. Her eyes shyly met his before looking back down to the floor.

"No problem at all. In fact, it's a pleasure, especially since my troubles are rewarded with the vision of you with your hair down."

"What?" Penelo looked up quickly to see Balthier looking down smiling warmly at her.

"You know, you really should wear your hair down more often," he stepped a little closer to her.

"Well, I usually put my hair down whenever I sleep. You just haven't noticed before," Penelo replied, a deep blush staining her cheeks once again.

"Hmm, really? I'm surprised I haven't," Balthier gestured towards a lock of blonde hair that hung over her left shoulder. "May I?" She nodded and he gazed at her with an unreadable expression before running his fingers through her hair and tucking it behind her ear. "You're even lovelier when you're blushing"

Embarrassed, Penelo tilted her head down to floor, trying to hide her reddened cheeks. After a long moment of silence, Balthier let out a heavy sigh and walked towards the door.

"It seems there will be blizzard in the area, lucky us. So get a good night's rest for tomorrow." He gave her his usual smirk before he turned to go down the hall.

She sat back down on the bed beside her forgotten dinner, idly twisting the golden strand of hair around her finger, trying to decipher his gaze.

Author's Notes:

Hello my dear readers. Thank you for taking the time to read my little fic. I love balthier/penelo fics and haven't seen many on here. So this is my addition to this fandom. Anyhow, this fic is inspired by the handkerchief scene, as well as the hunt for Fafnir. I personally haven't fought the creature yet, well because I can't find it!!! It never snows hard enough in that area. So this fic is a combination of my love of the pair and my irritation with this hunt.

Sorry if anyone seems ooc. This is just a little sampling. Let me know if you me to continue with a kind review. I wouldn't want to waste time writing a fic that no one is enjoying.

Take care all and happy holidays!


	2. Chapter 2

One Night

Chapter 2

It was still dark out when Penelo began to stir awake from her sleep. Shifting towards the window in her bed, Penelo blinked her sleepiness out of her eyes, and watched as thick drifts of snow flurries howled across the little window.

"Good, you're awake," Penelo turned around to see Fran standing up from the edge of her bed, pulling up her leg guards around her calves.

"What time is it"? Penelo sat up and suppressed a yawn. Though she tried her hardest, she had to admit that she wasn't a morning person. But she has slowly been adjusting to it, especially after the last couple of months since the party has been constantly on the move. At least she wasn't as bad as Vaan, she reminded herself, but the others always seemed to be awake and ready before she was.

"A little past sunrise. We must hurry and start out. Though the mark appears most frequently with blizzards, we are not sure how long it will last." Fran walked towards the door and paused, placing her hand on her hip. "We are to meet at the foyer of the temple when we are ready."

"Right," Penelo nodded in response as Fran turned and disappeared around the corner. Standing up from her bed, Penelo glanced towards the farthest bed in the room to see Ashe still asleep. Faintly she could see dried streaks of tears on the princess's cheeks. Many families had been lost during the war two years ago, but Ashe had lost more than that. Penelo couldn't imagine how it would be to not only lose one's family, but also to lose one's love and even their own name after being publicly declared dead.

'It wouldn't hurt to let her sleep a little bit longer,' Penelo thought to herself as Ashe shifted restlessly in her bed.

Penelo began to braid her hair back into her trademark pigtails. However, her fingers began to slow as she briefly remembered Balthier's soft touch the night before. She still could feel his finger barely trace her face from behind her ear down the side of her cheek. Sure, the sky pirate had been his usual playful, flirtatious self, just like any other young man his age. But to Penelo, it seemed like there had been something more behind his gaze. Something sincere and gentle, innocent even.

"Lady Ashe…" a gruff voice suddenly broke the silence of the room.

"Sshhh…" Penelo motioned to Basch to keep his voice down as she brought her finger to her pursed lips. "I don't think the princess was able to sleep much last night."

"I see," Basch whispered as he entered the room. He peered over at his majesty's face and also recognized the stress and despair written across it. "I'll stay and wake Lady Ashe in a few minutes. The others are already downstairs waiting."

"Okay then," Penelo nodded to Basch as he sat down in the chair next to the window, watching the snow as it drifted by. Though he wasn't directly staring at Ashe, Penelo could tell that he kept his eye on her, ready to protect her at any given moment. She admired Basch's loyalty to Ashe, and was glad that at least the princess seemed to put her trust in him again.

She knew that she and Vaan shared the same brotherly-sisterly bond like Basch and Ashe. She loved Vaan, and knew that she could always count on him to be there for her like she was for him, yet the fondness they shared for one another never grew past friendship. To her, Vaan would always be the same little boy that would come home wet and grimy from sewage slime after hunting rats in the waterway. Even though she enjoyed her comfortable friendship with Vaan, she yearned for something more.

'Maybe something like what Fran and Balthier share,' Penelo thought as she descended the stairs of the Temple. The two sky pirates always appeared to be in synch with one another, consistently complimenting each other's moves effortlessly. It seemed like the two could understand each other when no words had been exchanged.

Leaning against one of the walls of the foyer stood Balthier and Fran comfortably beside one another. Penelo watched as Balthier reached out and grabbed Fran's pear, taking a bite out the juicy fruit before handing it back to the viera.

Penelo slightly frowned. Yes, she must remember that he already has a leading lady. If only she could find her own leading man too, but there was something about Balthier which drew her to him. Perhaps, it was his way with words and the confidence he exuded. Maybe it was because he and Vaan were complete opposites. Unlike Vaan, who was a bit childish and immature, Balthier always seemed composed and so knowledgeable. A jack of all trades, experienced in many, many things. Penelo lightly flushed as she imagined just what the dashing sky pirate may be experienced in.

"About time you woke up! Or wait, you probably were too busy fixing your hair!" Vaan patted her on her back from behind.

"Excuse me, but I'm the one that usually has to wake you up."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, but I beat you this morning," Vaan started to chuckle as Penelo swatted him playfully on the chest.

Penelo and Vaan continued their friendly banter back and forth with one another, unaware of the attention they were drawing from the two sky pirates.

"Ahh, it seems the 'married couple' has started their little skit a bit early today." Balthier murmured to Fran quietly as he eyed the two young blondes out of the corner of his eyes.

"So it seems. Does it bother you?" Balthier didn't turn to his partner, keeping his gaze steady on the two.

"Not at all. I find their antics quite amusing actually."

"Really now? Because I could sense that you are a little perturbed." Fran threw Balthier a sideways knowing glance, which he just scoffed at, waving his hand dismissively.

"Sorry for being late." Everyone turned to see Ashe as she descended from the stairs with Basch not too far behind.

"It's alright, princess," Balthier replied, quickly diverting his gaze from the two friends to Ashe. "As long as you feel fully rested for today's adventure, we don't mind waiting." Balthier heard Fran quietly chuckle at how he quickly dodged what they were previously discussing.

"Thank you," Ashe answered quietly as Basch handed her her cloak.

"Finally we could start this hunt," Vaan clapped his hands together in excitement. "Come on already, let's go!" Vaan said impatiently as he walked briskly towards the door, with the others slowly trudging along after him.

They all followed their young group leader, trying to stay close together as the blizzard's coldness ripped through their bodies. Penelo held onto the hood of her cloak tightly, but could hardly keep her eyes open due to the harsh winds. Slowly, she noticed that she could barely see Vaan's form or anyone else's through the heavy drifts. Abruptly a harsh gust of snow knocked Penelo slightly, making her stumble around until she regained her footing.

"Vaan! Wait! Vaan!" Penelo cried out, but her voice had been carried away in the wind. Penelo's heart began to race faster as cold fear started to creep its way through her. She stopped in her tracks and looked around.

'Anyone, please?' Penelo prayed to herself, hoping to see any of her party members's forms through the snow. Not able to stand the freezing wind any longer, Penelo closed her eyes and let out a little sob.

Suddenly, strong warm hands grabbed her cold ones. "There you are! I thought we lost you." Balthier leaned in close to her face so that she could hear him; his warm breath slightly tickling her cold cheeks. Balthier began to rub Penelo's hands furiously between his, sharing his heat with her. "I can't let our main healer get lost and become an ice statue out here, though you would be an exquisite one," Balthier gave her a little smirk, causing the regained heat to rise slowly into her warming cheeks. "Come along then, I'll keep you warm."

Penelo nodded and smiled in relief as Balthier wrapped one arm around her waist and continued to hold her hand as he guided her back to the rest of the party.

Author's notes:

Hello again dear readers. Here's the second chapter for you all to enjoy. Well, I hope that you are enjoying anyway. If you are, it would much appreciated if you left a quick review to let me know that I should continue. Think of it as a tip for all my effort in entertaining you all.

In this story, I'll be focusing more on Penelo's feelings towards Balthier, while leaving his more of a mystery. We won't know until late third/fourth chapter what his intentions are towards her. Also, the Penelo here is a bit more inexperience due to her age. I'm also making her shyer around Balthier as well. It seems to me from the game, that Penelo is only completely comfortable around Vaan, and would only show some spunk and attitude towards him.

However, in my other story, "Lost Time," I'm centering more on Balthier and his emotions. Penelo is more gutsy and playful too since she is older, interacting more comfortably with Balthier like she would with Vaan.

If I do continue, I'm guessing that this will be about five chapters total. Not too long, but not too short either. Unfortunately it may get slightly citrusy. Nothing too graphic, but a bit more than just implied. So if you want me to get there, let me know!

Take care all. Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

One Night

Chapter 3

White. All she could see was white. Everything and everyone around her was blanketed in cold white powder. Though the sky was dark with thick clouds, Penelo estimated it was now about midday. More than five hours had passed since they found Fafnir in the Silverflow's End in the Paramina Rift. As usual, Vaan immediately charged towards the wyrm with his Zodiac Spear in hand, eager to put his new weapon into use.

But all traces of the young leader's spirit was long gone as he fell to his knees after being hit by Fafnir's Shock. "Aaahh!" Vaan choked out as he grabbed his stomach and began coughing up dark blood. His body felt like it was being fried by the mark's thunder spells.

"Vaan!" Penelo cried out, racing over to her best friend, trying to be in closer range to cast a cure spell. The whole party was spread around the massive mark, trying to avoid getting hit by White Breath and Shock at the same time as one another. As the healer, Penelo remained at a farther distance, because if she were knocked out or killed, the situation would turn even more calamitous than it already was.

"No Penelo! Stay away!" Vaan yelled back, as he wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth.

"But Vaan…" Penelo gasped as she noticed tiny boils visible on his arms and chest, while lesions of burns were running down his sides. Instead of making the battle easier, the healer realized the Zodiac Spear was acting like a conductor for the thunder bolts. Not only was the spear attracting the lightning, it was also increasing the intensity of each shock that hit Vaan.

She closed her eyes quickly, unable to stomach the sight of her friend's cooked skin and started to chant a Curaja spell. In the distance, she heard the frantic voice of Lady Ashe calling out for a Dispelga spell to remove the Stop effect on Basch and Fran also. Exhausted both physically and mentally, Penelo raised her hand unsteadily and directed the healing spell towards Vaan and the rest of the party, and began chanting the next needed spell.

Her grip on her Cloud Staff tightened as she tried to concentrate on the words. They were all out of supplies, and she was the only one left that could cast any magic. Her friends needed her and were relying on her.

But all she saw was white. Thin sheets of white ice clinging to her sweat drenched body; the white wyrm that still wasn't showing any signs of weakness after hours of intense fighting; the white pain searing through her mind from casting too many spells….

"Calm yourself," she heard a deep voice next to her. Penelo's breath hitched as she felt her heart skip a beat and a sudden Charge of mental clarity. A resounding shot fired near her as she opened her eyes, finally releasing the Dispelga spell to the affected Basch and Fran.

Like Penelo, Balthier had kept his distance from the beast. Unlike Fran who had to change to a katana instead of her usual bow because of the powerful winds, his Fomalhaut was still able to pierce through the blizzard cleanly, hitting its mark.

Glancing over at him, Penelo was surprised to see that he almost looked completely unruffled. No burns or scratches marred his face, nor did any dirt or blood stain his shirt. Even his cuffs looked completely unsoiled. He gave her a quick wink before jogging over to assist his unsteady partner.

Fafnir suddenly howled loudly in pain, drawing the mage's attention back to the mark. She watched as Basch hacked his axe into its thick skin, successfully cutting through its side. Noticing the opening in its defense, the princess thrust her Excalibur into Fafnir's left eye, blinding it. The beast's growl echoed throughout the Paramina Rift. Blood trickled down the side of Fafnir's face as it raised its head to the heavens and gave another wounded cry.

Penelo dropped her shoulders a bit as she drew a hand to her lips, empathizing with the wyrm. Finally the battle was drawing to a close. Yes, Fafnir may be responsible for many deaths, but it still was a just a creature. Though she wasn't sure how intelligent wyrms were, she understood that it was only acting out for its own survival. Because weren't they doing the same thing? Trying to rid Dalmasca of any outside threats to restore and protect their way of life?

Fafnir lowered its head and glared menacingly at the party. Its one good red eye abruptly locked with hers, snorting wildly in fury as if it detected that she was the one that kept the group alive. It clenched its claws into the snow and rapidly bounded towards Penelo, set on eliminating her first permanently.

White. All she saw was white and it swarmed her. Frozen in fear and unable to react, all Penelo could do was watch as the white wyrm drew close. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Faintly she heard Vaan shouting for her to move and Ashe calling out her name. As a dancer, her body usually was quick to react, however, she just couldn't get her legs to respond. The white was finally overtaking her.

Fafnir reared up on its hind legs, preparing to slice through her lithe body with its claws, when a flash of green suddenly appeared in front of her. It was a comforting healing green, similar to the glow of the restorative spells that she mastered. She felt her senses return from the white's affects as time seemed to speed up again.

Balthier cocked his gun and quickly fired straight into the under belly of the beast. It dropped back down to all its four legs and quickly spun around whipping the sky pirate and the young girl with its tail.

Penelo felt herself fly through the air suddenly, her entire left side aching from the hit. She mentally prepared herself for more pain, as she expected to hit one of the many ridges and rocks around the mountainside. However, she instead felt her body crash into something warm as familiar arms wrapped securely around her waist.

"Balthier?!" Penelo quickly scrambled out of his embrace and looked down at her unconscious rescuer. Blood trickled from the back of his head from an injury he doubtlessly received when they hit the side of mountain.

Kneeling close to him, the blonde clasped her hands tightly, drawing her hands close to her chest. Her eyes closed as a desperate Curaga spell spilled from her lips. She raised her hand as a warm glow encompassed her hand and Balthier's wound. The bright light slowly ebbed away at the gash, leaving a light scar that could only be seen up close. She ran her fingers through his light brown hair, tracing the blemish left from his act of bravery.

"Balthier?" Penelo called out softly, but he didn't stir. Quickly, she pressed her ear against his chest and sighed in relief as she heard a faint heart beat. Standing up, she squinted through the blizzard, hoping to see the rest of their party. But all she could see was cursed white!

"Vaan! Lady Ashe! Fran!" Penelo called out, hoping someone would hear her, especially the viera with her sensitive hearing. Yet, her voice seemed to have been carried away by the whistling snow flurries. She had no idea where they were now. The impact from Fafnir's tail must have flung them away from the Silverflow's End. A low moan was heard below her, and Balthier's eyes began to flutter open.

"Balthier! Thank goodness you're alright," she kneeled down again next to him. He tried to sit up, but he just couldn't open his eyes and stop shivering. He drew his knees to his chest, trying to create any sense of warmth. Obviously, their clothes were probably soaked through from the combination of the blizzard and their cold wet sweat, but she suspected that he was freezing more because of the massive amount of blood that he just lost.

"Pen…Pen…Penny, so…c-cold…p-please," the normally articulate sky pirate stuttered, unable to say her whole name. She rubbed his arms feverishly with her hands, but she knew she had to do something more. She could try to find the rest of the group, but she wasn't sure if they would still be battling the mark. If they were, they most certainly would retreat to go and help Balthier, but then Fafnir would get the chance to heal making all these hours for naught. And besides, she didn't want to leave the sky pirate alone when he seemed to have hypothermia.

Looking around again, Penelo's gray eyes searched through the blizzard. Noticing that a part of the cliffs seemed to slope inwards, the healer leaned in close to the man in her arms. "Balthier, I think I see a cave opening, except I can't lift you on my own. Can you please try to stand and walk? It's not too far away."

He kept his eyes closed but bobbed his head slightly. She drew his right arm over her shoulders and felt him stand. She started to walk forward, bracing both of them against the wind, disappearing into the white.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long delay. I have this entire pretty much planned out, but it's difficult to actually type it out. Especially this part for me; I've never wrote action before.

Thank you for all your encouraging reviews and I also greatly appreciate all who have added me or my stories to their favorites and alerts. Hopefully I can get inspired to write again soon. Also, just in case any of you like "Lost Time," it's not done yet. The last chapter I posted seems like it is, but it isn't. So look forward to that updating soon and the rating will go up higher on that one as well.

Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

One Night

Chapter Four

Balthier's teeth chattered loudly as his breathing sounded more and more haggard with every step they took. His body felt heavy and drained as he staggered across the deep snow, fighting to remain conscious. "P-Penny," he leaned in heavily on her shoulders, his breath white in the cold air, "w-we must h-hurry." His once spotless shirt and vest currently became a magnet for the cold, taking any warmth from his chilled body rapidly. "I-I'm f-freezing…" he gasped as he huddled closer to Penelo, trying to draw body heat from her smaller form.

"I know," Penelo wrapped her arms tighter around his torso, sharing her cloak with him. "We're almost there." Her eyes strained, trying to gain some visibility through the white bellows. Grabbing onto the side of the cliff for support, the blonde pulled their bodies forward. She thought the slope was near here somewhere, so she began groping the rocky surface for any opening with her right hand, while keeping a steady hold on Balthier. Suddenly, her hand fell through, almost causing them to topple over. Pushing aside some dead branches, Penelo smiled in relief as she finally found the cave.

Casting a fire spell in her hand, she cautiously carried Balthier deeper into the cavern using the little flame above her extended palm to light her way in. Not seeing any white wolves or skull knights inside, she gently lowered the sky pirate to the ground next to what appeared to be an old campfire. Quickly she started rearranging the stones to form a tidy circle, gathering dry twigs from around the cave. Bringing the small flame from her palm next to the pit, the twigs suddenly caught fire, immediately casting an orange glow in the darkness. Balthier huddled closer to the heat, drawing his knees up to his chest, still trembling. With the fire started, Penelo quickly searched the cave closer and luckily found an old musky blanket that was still completely dry.

Kneeling next to the sky pirate, the girl draped the blanket around him as she hugged him close once again to her body trying to share her warmth. "Hey Balthier, you've got to stay awake. Please try to open your eyes," her voice pleaded softly. His body continued to shake from the cold as he lifted his head to meet her gaze. Slowly, his eyes opened, but they lacked their usual spark. She knew her heat wasn't enough; she was barely keeping herself from shaking from the cold. Something more had to be done, she decided, as she glanced down at the sky pirate's pale face below hers.

"Balthier, I hope you don't mind, but I need to check something," she whispered to the half-unconscious man. Unzipping the top of his vest just enough to uncover the ties of his white shirt beneath, Penelo's fingers lightly grasped the thin string at his collar. She paused her movements to see if she drew any awkward reactions from the hypothermic sky pirate, but he only stared up at her blankly. She slowly continued, pulling loose the tie of the shirt's collar, exposing his bare chest. Feeling heat rise in her cheeks, Penelo's hand hesitantly touched his skin and sure enough she found it to be slick with cold sweat and the melted snow.

Trying to ignore the butterflies in the pit of her stomach, the healer knew that in their given situation there was only one way to warm up his body. 'But is there really no other way?' she thought to herself desperately, trying to decide if what she had in mind was truly the best and quickest solution. With her current supplies, she didn't posses anything to rid his chills fast enough. Though she had the thin blanket and her cloak to wrap around him, it would take too long for his body to regain heat if she just positioned him close to the small fire still dressed in his drenched clothes.

Penelo sighed, resigning herself to her only option. She vaguely recalled overhearing at the Temple that the best cure for extreme chills was another's body heat. "Balthier, your clothes are doing you more harm than good right now. They're causing you to lose your heat at a faster rate." She explained, feeling the need to rationalize what she was about to say next. "I-I need to remove them," her voice barely above a whisper as she watched his body continue to quake, his eyes closing once again. She thought she saw him nod his head, but she couldn't tell if it truly was a response or if it was just the chills.

Taking the tiny zipper tab in her hand, Penelo slowly tugged it down, the sound of each notch echoing loudly in her ears. She gently pushed it off of his shoulders, then proceeded to further loosen his soaked white shirt. Pulling it over his head, she lowered Balthier's form carefully on top of the threadbare blanket, keeping her eyes carefully diverted from his bare torso.

Penelo's hand hovered over the clasp of Balthier's last article of clothing. Did she really have to do this? Was removing this final piece truly needed? Looking down at the man below her, Penelo sighed guiltily to herself as she saw part of the brownish scar that lay hidden in his hairline. It was her fault that the scar was there; if only she hadn't been so frightened, none of this would have happened.

Taking in a deep breath as she finally decided, she snapped open his trousers carefully, tugging the tight material over his hips and down his muscled thighs. The shadows from the fire danced around his nude form, playing with her imagination and enticing her to stare at him fully. However, she covered him up quickly, keeping her eyes away where they properly belonged. She edged him closer to the small fire and then brought over his clothing to the hearth to dry as well.

Steeling herself for her final task, the blonde reached for the ribbons in her hair. "You better not be getting the wrong idea here. I'm just doing this to ease your shivering," she murmured to him, hoping he could hear, but he remained unresponsive as he huddled deeper into the blanket. Though she was doing this to save him like he had her, she still felt ashamed for her girlish giddiness. She had to admit that a small part of her always wondered how it would feel to be close to the sky pirate, but so much more anxiety and worry outweighed it, making her feel uneasy. However, at that moment, she knew it was the right thing to do regardless of her petty crush.

Penelo reached up towards both of her pigtails, undoing the ties that bound her golden plaits and shook her hair free, allowing her wavy locks to tumble just below her shoulders. She clasped the zipper in the front of her jumpsuit and pulled it down, dragging it lower until the zipper stopped just below her navel. Stepping out from her wet clothes, she exposed her pale skin to the cold open air of the cavern.

After placing her clothes near Balthier's, she knelt down beside his still shivering form. Sitting with her back towards him, Penelo pulled the blanket over herself, wrapping them both closely together. A slight thrill of excitement rushed through her body as she first felt the touch of Balthier's moist, chilly skin against her bare back; however, she pushed the sensation to the back of her mind, trying to stay focus on the task at hand.

Turning over carefully, Penelo regarded the sky pirate's face. His breath seemed to begin to slow to a normal rhythm, his shudders ceasing. She lightly stroked his face, still feeling a clammy chill in it. She leaned her body into his, her head resting against the nook of his shoulder. Their bodies were so very close now, closer to one another than she has ever been to anyone else before. She didn't know how long she was supposed to stay near him, but she felt herself settle into his embrace as his warm breath lightly blew against the top of her hair, lulling her tired body into the comforts of sleep.

* * *

Penelo's eyes began to flutter open as she felt someone gently stroke the side of her face. Closing her eyes again, she leaned closer into the caress, enjoying the reassuring feel of the warm body against her own. Her muscles still ached from yesterday's hunt and this sensation right now soothed her soul completely. She felt like she was in wonderful dream, where she finally found some solace. However, her sleepiness turned to surprise as the young girl heard the faint howling of wind in the distance, snapping her out of her drowsy reverie. 

Looking up, Penelo's gray eyes widened in shock as she almost brushed noses with the already awake sky pirate. "Balthier," she squeaked a little loudly as she found his face inches away from hers. "H-how long have you been awake?"

"Less than an hour, I suppose," he answered, his voice back to its familiar deep rich tone. "I pleasantly awoke to find you embracing me."

Her cheeks flushed a bright pink. "I can explain. You seemed hypothermic and you lost so much blood." She rapidly answered, words stumbling uncontrollably from her lips. "I couldn't find anyone else. So, I just had to…."

"No, it's alright," he interjected, offering her a small smile. "I vaguely recall what happened."

Drawing her hands near her chin, her nervousness began to dissipate as she felt herself being drawn into his calm green gaze. From the warm glow of the cavern she could tell that some color returned to his complexion, making him just as handsome and charming as she remembered. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Yes I am," he responded quietly. "I am eternally indebted to you. Thank you… Penny." She couldn't remember the last time anyone called her by that childish nickname. But coming from Balthier with his velvety accent, the name sounded strangely mature and sensual to her ears.

She shook her head, lacing her fingers together. "No Balthier, I owe you my gratitude. If you hadn't been there when Fafnir attacked, I probably would have been killed," her voice sincere. "But you really shouldn't have shielded me from the mountainside though, because now you have that scar."

"I would do no different, scar or no scar. I did promise to protect you, after all." The way he stared at her reminded her so much of that moment a couple of nights ago at the Temple; so unreadable, so different from his normal gestures.

Most people were caught off guard by the sky pirate, believing all his cocky smirks were one and the same. Though the differences were so minute, the emotions behind each expression contrasted greatly. Usually with the slightest arch of his brow and the curling of his lips, Penelo could tell whether Balthier was pleased or discontent with someone.

Yet, this was the one and only look she couldn't quite place. Neither eyebrows were raised, nor did he have the slightest smirk. His visage was very solemn, and it seemed all his feelings were purely expressed through the intensity of his green eyes. Only the sounds from the crackling fire could be heard as they continued to silently gaze at each other. Outside the blizzard still fell with great intensity, blanketing all in icy white. But inside the cave, their world was warm and only consisted with them alone.

She watched, completely enthralled as Balthier tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He traced her jaw line lightly and before she knew it, he tilted her chin up and pressed a tender soft kiss on her lips. His lips still had a slight mixture of coldness and warmth to them, but the rest of the skin pressed into her own felt very much heated. Heated by the warmth, she realized, that she shared with him.

Penelo began to feel a slight nibble on her bottom lip, as if he was coaxing her to give him entrance. Hesitantly, her lips parted and she felt his tongue gently intertwine with hers, guiding her through this new type of kiss. Following his example, she responded back, allowing him to deepen their embrace, arms drawing each other closer.

She felt an unfamiliar part of her stir awake as all her senses were concentrated solely on every sensation Balthier brought her. Though his touches were feathery and light, to Penelo they were overwhelming. She found herself writhing uncontrollably under his caresses, her fingers drawing lines up and down his muscular physique. Pulling him closer, her body instinctually was seeking something much deeper than what she was experiencing now.

But was this right? Was this heated moment really what she was looking for? From the moment she met him she had always felt some sort of attraction to the sky pirate, spending her idle time fantasizing about various romantic trysts with him like any other girl would. Each involving soft kisses and loving whisperings in her ear very much like now. Yet, as finally one of her dreams came true, she couldn't help but hesitate. She was still inexperienced in this new type of dance between two lovers. She was only a young seventeen year old orphan girl from Dalmasca, who always dreamt that her first time would be about love between two soul mates. And at this moment, she couldn't reassure herself enough to let this continue.

Penelo slowly began to steady her movements, no longer grasping tightly to back of Balthier's neck. Her eyes shyly met his as he looked quietly down at her, his mouth still close to her own. After a couple of seconds, he gave her small smile, lips swollen from their fervent kisses, looking so charming and irresistible above her. But wordlessly he withdrew his heated form away from hers, leaving her a little cold as she was exposed once again to the cavern chilly air. Balthier reached over and wrapped the blanket securely around their forms again, tucking her head underneath his chin. Her heart pounded in her chest, anxious and grateful at the same time that he didn't question why she stopped.

Suddenly, his voice broke the steady silence. "We certainly have had quite a strange day," he sighed softly, yet it seemed loud and deafening to her ears. "Hopefully the others are at the Temple like we discussed," his voice maintained a formal tone. "Goodnight, Penelo."

Though their bodies still were close, she never felt quite as distant from the sky pirate as she did now. Closing her eyes to hold back the tears she knew were threatening to fall, she tried to find the peaceful lull from earlier. But try as she might, she couldn't return to that wonderful dream again.

* * *

Author's notes (updated on 3-29-07): 

Previously I stated that this fic will be discontinued, but since I've been receiving many messages requesting this fic to continue, I'm considering starting it up again. But as many know, I do not like the way this fic is going. If I were to restart it, I would rewrite the last part of this chapter. However, I'm not sure if you readers would like the change. Perhaps you all want it to continue because of how this chapter ended. Therefore, please pick from the following and let me know which way I should proceed with this fic:

a) Rewrite the last part to something new, posting it as chapter five

b) Keep the last part in chapter four and just proceed with a new chapter five

Feel free to just send me a message through my profile with your choices.

See you all soon with a new chapter five to this fic!


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